Psychogenic Movement Disorders (AAN 2000)

Subject: Psychogenic Movement Disorders (AAN 2000)

Date: 5/11/2000

E-MOVE reports from the 52nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, held in San Diego, California, 30 April-5 May 2000. Citation numbers below refer to abstracts of presentations and posters, which are published in Neurology 2000;54(suppl.3).

1. Long-term follow-up of psychogenic movement disorders
J Fine, V Stergiopoulos, A Nieves, A Feinstein, AE Lang
P01.069

2. Psychiatric outcome in patients with a psychogenic movement disorder
V Stergiopoulos, J Fine, AE Lang, A Feinstein
P06.044

Two reports summarize findings from long-term follow-up of 42 patients with diagnosed psychogenic movement disorders. Mean age at follow-up was 48.6 years; 63% were female, and 75% were unemployed. Forty patients received an Axis 1 diagnosis of mental illness, including depression, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders. Clinical evaluation of 23 patients showed tremor in 13, myoclonus in 4, and dystonia in 2. More than half had mixed movement disorders. All 23 patients had persistence of abnormal movements since diagnosis, with a mean duration of 8.5 years (range 1.5-43 years). More than half had reached their worst condition within one year of onset, and had then stabilized or improved. Five patients reported continuing worsening of their movement disorder.

E-MOVE Editor: Richard Robinson, NASW, WE MOVE

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